caveat

noun

1. A warning.

   “There is at least one caveat in cultivation: you’ll have to stick to only one discipline, such as that according to Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha.”

   “And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […]”

   “Two young Harvard M.B.A.'s worked up some highly optimistic projections—with the caveat that these were speculative and should of course be tested.”

2. A qualification or exemption.

   “He gave his daughter some hyacinth bulbs with the caveat that she plant them in the shade.”

   “If a midfielder and a defender are acquired by 1 September then Louis van Gaal will consider United's summer in the market almost a success. The one caveat is that the Dutchman wished to have finished strengthening the squad before the start of the season.”

   “The writing has been on the wall that Americans’ support for mass deportation was subject to all kinds of caveats and provisos.”

   “If someone has been transparent about their journey with GLP-1s, it’s OK to ask specific follow-up questions, she adds. One caveat, though: Don’t bring up the subject loudly or in front of other people.”

3. A formal objection.
4. A formal objection.

   “The necessity for caveats arise in two cases: one class of caveats is prohibitory as regards some contemplated dealing or transaction affecting the property described in the caveat; while another class of caveats arises out of adverse claims to the land itself, or to some estate or interest in the land.”

5. A notice requesting a postponement of a court proceeding.

verb

1. (transitive)To qualify a statement with a caveat or proviso.

   “The Emperor smiled more than a half smile. / "I am not sure," he said, "that any harm was done, anyhow." / "What!" cried Brinnaria. "You excuse me? You defend me?" / "Softly! Softly!" the Emperor caveatted, raising his hand. "I do not acquit you nor exonerate you. But I do make allowances.[…]"”

   “Some years ago, General Alexander Haig […] was widely criticized (and parodied) for using nouns as verbs in a highly idiosyncratic way, known as Haigspeak: phrases like "I'll have to caveat my response, Senator, and I'll caveat that", […] From one point of view, however, Haig was merely displaying the virtuosity of English, if not its grace.”

   “I want to caveat everything I say with the disclaimer that I was working from photos.”

   “Here, by clarifying and caveatting assumptions, and revealing hidden assumption, we reduce the number of worlds in which the prediction is valid. This means that the prediction puts fewer constraints on our expectations. In counterpart, of course, the caveatted prediction is likely to be true.”

   “Ukrainian Ground Forces spokesperson Dmytro Lykhovii told Ukrainian media Tuesday that “some Russian military units” were moved to Kursk from occupied southern Ukraine. Lykhovii caveated, however, that Russia had already amassed “a large number of personnel” in the southern Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia region.”

2. (transitive)To formally object to something.
3. (specifically, transitive)To formally object to something.

   “It is unclear whether or not a purchaser upon exchange of contracts will be regarded as guilty of postponing conduct if failing to caveat.”

4. (dated, transitive)To issue a notice requesting that proceedings be suspended.

   “The answer further alleged that the intestate, in right of his wife, caveated the probate in Virginia of the will of one William Hill, her relation; […]”

   “The defendant, father of the testator, had caveated against granting of probate on the ground that the will was not duly executed, and that deceased did not know or approve of its contents.”

5. (obsolete, transitive)To warn or caution against some event.

   “[…] I beseach you to caveat any addresse being fully heard until some person commissioned from this Countrey be their to confront the sayd Dutch or their complices.”

   “It is said that the herb Christswoort, or Christmas flower, in plain English Black Helebore, (so called from its springing about this time) helpeth madnesse, distraction, purgeth melancholy and dulnesse. This last expression minds me to caveat the Reader, not to be angry at Helebore because it's called Christmas flowre; for it, poore thing, hurts no body that lets it alone, […] [quoting V. Annand's Mysterium Pietatis, pages 24–25.]”

name

1. A locality in the Shire of Murrindindi, central eastern Victoria, Australia.